Kolkata, June 29 -- The Calcutta High Court has directed that no business shall be carried out from the fire-struck disputed tannery premises in Tiljala until the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and its Special Officer (Building) take a final decision in pending municipal proceedings, reiterating the need to follow the statutory process in a matter involving environmental concerns.
The court also took note of the unnatural deaths of two workers engaged by the petitioners and recalled its earlier order restraining business activities from the premises. The building had caught fire in May, claiming two lives.
The writ petition was filed by residents of the property on Golam Jilani Khan Road, alleging that municipal authorities had acted against them without issuing the statutory notices required under the KMC Act.
In an earlier order, the court had directed both sides to maintain status quo after noting that no statutory notices had been served. It had also restrained the petitioners from carrying out any repair, restoration or improvement of the building, while permitting the removal of any dangerous portion in consultation with the civic authorities.
The court had further noted that tanneries were not permitted to function from the area and that no statutory clearances from the Pollution Control Board, fire authorities or other competent authorities had been disclosed.
The petitioners later sought permission to enter the premises to remove machinery, records, export consignments and other movable articles. A vacation bench directed the investigating officer to consider the request, following which some of the articles were returned.
When the matter came up again, KMC informed the court that proceedings under the municipal law had already been initiated and a hearing fixed.
Observing that it would be prudent to allow the municipality to decide the matter first, Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury held that no business could be carried on from the premises until KMC and its Special Officer (Building) take a final decision.
The High Court directed that the status quo would continue and asked KMC to conclude the proceedings as expeditiously as possible, preferably within six weeks from communication of the order.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.